The Wedding Plan
by KatMarie
Summary: Harry and Hermione's shock at their roommates getting married is nothing compared to their shock at seeing each other again. Imagine the shock of Ron and Allie using their own wedding as a matchmaking scheme...Will Harry and Hermione finally see the light
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

The Dream

"Hermione! Hermione, it's me, open up!"

He leaned on his knees, clutching the stitch in his side that he had gotten from running for so long.

The door opened slightly and she was standing right there in front of him.

"Harry? Harry you're soaking wet…and…did you run here?" Hermione asked bewilderedly.

"Yeah," Harry gasped, "Yeah, it rained a couple miles back. I…I had to see you, Hermione…I've got to tell you…I love you. So much. I'm so sorry for what happened…it was the biggest mistake of my life. I was drunk and I acted horribly to you…I should never have treated you like that. I…I want another chance with you, with us. I can't live without you anymore."

Her eyes were filled with tears.

"Harry…" She whispered, "I can't, Harry…I've…gotten over you…I've moved on, see? Sorry…sorry you came all this way….Goodbye Harry…"

"NO! No, wait, please!" '

He reached out, but she slammed the door in his face.

CLUNK.

"Oww! Damn box…why the hell did we put it there?"

Harry Potter's eyes flew open. He was staring at the ceiling, his hand outstretched towards nothing.

He sighed.

This was how it always ended.

"Ron?" He said groggily, sitting up in his bed and shoving his glasses on his face.

"Yeah? Oh, sorry mate…I didn't mean to slam the door that hard. I'm trying to find my bloody pass…have you seen it?"

Harry shook his head confusedly.

"Your pass? You lost your Ministry pass? No, I haven't any idea where it is, but why would it be in my room?"

Ron shrugged as he sifted through heaps of clothes lying around.

"I dunno…I figured maybe one of those times we got completely wasted, I dropped it in here or something…there's really no reason behind anything I do when I'm drunk, now is there?"

Harry sighed.

"No, not really."

Ron looked over at him, and straightened up.

"Bloody hell, Harry…what did you do last night? You look like…I don't even know what you look like."

Harry screwed up his face and looked down at the ground beside his bed.

"Well…judging by the large amounts of empty alcohol bottles sitting here, I'd say I left the bar where you set me up with the worst possible date ever and came home and got completely wasted to forget it all." Harry said sarcastically.

Ron raised his eyebrows.

"Okay, so Venetia isn't your kind of girl, I get that…but be honest, Harry…it's not her you were trying to forget, now was it?"

Harry ran his hand over his face.

"Who do you think it was, Ron, since you've obviously got someone in mind or you wouldn't be asking."

Ron sighed.

"Harry…this can't keep going on. Look, I don't know what happened between you two, but I'm sure it can be patched up nicely. Maybe if you tried talking to her…"

Harry laughed harshly.

"Maybe if I got her off my mind more like. She's all I bloody think about and I hate it. I don't need her. I'm great! I've got the perfect life…just you and me…two bachelors out partying all the time…I mean…why would I want to go and get myself in a relationship?"

Ron looked shifty.

"Yeah, well, this brings up an excellent point I need to talk to you about…"

"What?" Harry looked at his roommate warily, "Did you lose all your money to some hooker again?"

Ron looked indignant.

"She was not a hooker! And no, it's nothing like that. It's…Harry…I'm not going to be a bachelor anymore."

Harry stood up shakily.

"What's that?"

"I…I've…it's just that, last night I proposed to Allie, and she said yes, so…I'm kind of going to be getting married and…and moving out."

Harry stood there for a moment, swaying slightly, his mouth agape.

"Allie as in the new girl?" He said finally.

Ron nodded.

"But I asked you last week if you thought it was serious!" Harry protested, "and you said 'of course not'!"

Ron sighed.

"Would I have said anything else? Harry…look mate…it's been fun being free, but I mean…I'm twenty-two…and yeah that sounds young but….I've been out of school for five years now, and I've got a steady job, and my career's picking up, I've got money put away…and Allie…Allie is great. She's such an amazing person and it

hit me a couple of days ago that I don't want to be without her for another moment."

Harry looked up…those words were awfully familiar to him.

"I understand, Ron." He said, smiling slightly, "I completely understand."

"Good, because you and I are going to meet her roommate tonight."

Harry sighed.

"Okay."

Ron looked overjoyed for a split second, and then eyed Harry warily again.

"You had that dream last night." He said quietly and Harry jumped as if he'd yelled it.

"What dream?" Harry asked carelessly, walking over to his closet and taking out some clothes.

"The one you told me about…where…what was it…where you run miles and miles through all kinds of weather and shit and you get to Hermione's doorstep and she opens the door and you profess your undying love, and she tells you 'oh, sorry, I've moved on,' and slams the door in your face. That dream? Does that ring any bells, Harry?" Ron's voice was harsh and unforgiving.

"Ron, listen, let's just not start this today, okay?" Harry asked, throwing his hands into the air.

Ron sighed impatiently.

"Harry! It was a dream, okay mate? You haven't talked to her in years! It's been what…two…three years since the two of you saw each other last? When whatever it was that was so horrible that you both had to go through three years of being miserable happened? Why don't you ever want to talk about that, huh, Harry?"

Harry's fist tightened around the doorknob of the closet door.

"I…I screwed up any chance I ever had with her that night." Harry said quietly, "I blew it, and I've realized that. That's all there is to know."

"But how, Harry? What did you do that was oh so terrible?" Ron persisted.

Harry let out a deep breath.

"If you want to know so badly, Ron, you'll have to ask her, because I'm not saying anything."

He slammed the door to his bathroom shut and Ron stood there staring at the wood until he heard the shower begin. With a heavy sigh, he turned to leave.

"Well, maybe I will." He muttered, shutting Harry's door.

o----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------o

"Well, good morning sunshine."

"Shut up Allie…"

"You were out like a light once you got home last night. Rough day at work?"

"Oh, not too bad…"

"Hermione, darling, you've been my roommate for four years! I can tell when you're upset. What's wrong?"

Hermione smiled bitterly as she wrapped her robe around her.

"Nothing new." She said, "nothing new at all."

Allison sighed.

"Oh, Hermione," She leaned over to hug her friend, "Darling, I wish you would at least make an effort at finding someone! It would make it a little better."

Hermione sighed.

"But it won't, Allie, because every man I meet just isn't him."

"And a good thing, from what I've heard of what he did to you. He deserves to be forgotten. Treating you like that…"

Hermione smiled.

"I sometimes wonder if I didn't overreact a bit. He…I just saw and thought…jumped to conclusions. I suppose it was all a bit too good to be true, though…I should have seen it coming."

Allie snorted.

"You had no way of knowing he would do that."

Hermione sighed.

"Okay, enough about me…what happened between you and that…what's his name…Rick? Ryan?"

"Ronald."

Allie beamed.

"Oh, Hermione, I'm so happy! Ronald…he proposed to me last night and I said yes! I'm getting married Hermione!"

Hermione spat out her coffee.

"You're what?"

"Getting married!"

"To who? This Rick guy? I've scarcely heard you talk about him!"

"Ronald, sweetie, his name is Ronald. I didn't say anything because I thought for a little bit that it was just another fling, but oh, Hermione, he is the sweetest guy ever! I've been seeing him for a good many months now and…oh I'm so happy, darling! I…I do feel badly that I'll be leaving though…"

Hermione groaned.

"Oh…please don't tell me I have to go roommate hunting again!"

Allie grinned apologetically.

Hermione sighed.

"All right then, let me see the ring."

Allie preened and thrust out her left hand. Hermione held it gently, admiring the beautiful ring.

"He must be made of money." Hermione observed.

Allie grinned.

"Not really…that's what I love about him. He came from pretty much nothing. He's Head of Quidditch in the Ministry. He absolutely loves it! His favorite team…what is it…oh! The Cannons! He's so great…he's got this huge family, apparently, which I'm going to meet this Saturday, but tonight….darling dear, we are going to his apartment to meet his roommate, who apparently is his best friend."

Hermione smiled.

"Okay, okay, tell me more about him…what's his name? What's his roommate's name? Maybe he's available." Hermione said, laughing.

"Well, his name is Ron Weasley and his roommate…his roommate is Harry…something…Harry Potter!"  
Hermione's smile disappeared with a flash, and her coffee cup dropped from her limp fingers with a crash.

"Hermione! Hermione, are you okay?"

Hermione looked down at the broken cup on the floor as if she'd never seen one before in her life.

"I…I'm fine…did you….you _did_ say his roommate was Harry? Harry Potter?"

"Yeeess…why? Do you know him?"

Hermione managed a small smile.

"I used to."

o----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------o

"Harry! Harry, mate, are you ready? The girls will be here any second!"

Harry sighed, walking slowly into the small living room to join Ron.

"Ron, if you don't quit being so obnoxiously nit-picky about every tiny detail, I am going to pull out every hair on my head." Harry said calmly.

Ron grinned sheepishly.

"Sorry…I just…I really want everything to go great…Allie means a lot to me, Harry…I really hope you'll like her."

"And her roommate." Harry added.

"Her roommate? I couldn't care what you think of her roommate!"

Harry sighed.

"Ron, listen to me this is very important: you must make a good impression on her roommate. It's highly likely that this girl is Allie's very best friend, and her opinion is going to matter just as much as Allie's."

Ron gulped.

"Fantastic. I thought I was done with the whole impression thing." He said.

Harry grinned broadly as their doorbell rang, and clapped Ron on the back.

"Not a chance."

Ron sighed and went to the door.

"Okay," he said, "Remember…be nice, Harry."

Harry gave a bored sigh, leaning against the wall next to the door.

"I'll be on my best behavior, I promise." He said dully.  
Ron grinned, and opened the door.

"Allie! Hi, love!"

Harry watched as a very pretty girl with long blonde hair crossed into the entrance hall and Ron enveloped her in a hug.

"Allie, here…this is my roommate Harry. Harry, _this_ is Allie, my fiancée."

Harry stood up straight and held out his hand.

"Pleasure to meet you, Allie. Ron's talked about you nonstop ever since he told me you were engaged."

Allie laughed.

"Only for a day, then?" She said, her blue-green eyes twinkling, "I can imagine your surprise…apparently I'm not the only one in the relationship who kept it quiet."

Harry smiled. He was already beginning to like this girl.

"Yes, well, Ron never talks about much aside from Quidditch." Harry replied, to which Ron threw his hands up in surrender jokingly.

"All right, all right! I admit…I'm obsessed, happy?" He laughed.

Allie smiled and turned back towards Ron.

"Ron, I'd like you to meet my very best friend. Come on in, Hermione!" She called into the hallway.

Harry's smile slipped and he looked at Ron quickly, who took a horrorstruck look at Harry.

Harry's legs felt like lead, and so he was forced to stand there and watch as she entered their apartment.

God, she was beautiful. Her hair was longer and…somewhat softer…her frizzy hair had turned into soft and glamorous curls, and her skin still looked as creamy as before.

"Ron, Harry, this is Hermione!" Allie concluded, shutting the door behind Hermione, and turning to see the two boy's frozen expressions.

Ron was staring at Harry, whose eyes had never left Hermione's face.

Hermione's demure smile faltered under Harry's intense gaze.

"Hello Ron, Harry." She said softly, "It's been a long time."

Harry said nothing. He simply stared at her face as if trying to memorize her features.

Ron seemed to sense an uncomfortable silence coming, so he cleared his throat.

"Let's just go into the…erm…living room for a moment, shall we? Excuse me for a minute Allie, Hermione; Harry's going to help me get the coffee, alright?"

Allie and Hermione nodded, and Ron led them into the living room.

Harry went into the kitchen and leaned against the countertop, breathing deeply, his head spinning.

He could hear Ron coming into the kitchen and closing the door, but he didn't look up.

"Harry…" Ron said, crossing over to where he was standing, "Harry, mate, I promise, I had no idea…"

Harry nodded vigorously, still saying nothing.

Ron fell silent, just staring at him.

"Are you…are you going to be alright? D'you…d'you want me to make your excuses or something?" Ron asked finally.

Harry looked up, finally, and Ron saw that his features had changed. His jaw was slightly stiffer, and his mouth was set. He looked as though he was controlled, until Ron looked at his eyes. They were a darker green, and his emotions seemed to be reflecting in them. Ron stepped back slightly, fearfully of what Harry would do.

"I promised I'd meet Allie, didn't I?" Harry said, and Ron was unnerved to find that even his voice sounded calm and controlled. "So I'm going to stay and get to know Allie."

o----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------o

A/N: Okay, here's a new story...God I'm such a procrastinator...haven't finished two of them now...anways. Review, thanks very much! Oh, and yes, this one is rather short, but it's because it's really kind of an introductory chapter...anyways.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thank you thank you thank you THANK YOU to: potterstwin, miko-kagome69, Nynaeve80, cosmopolitan, ukambitious, and Omnike for REVIEWING!! I LOVE REVIEWS!!

kk...now about cosmopolitan's question...In my excitement of writing this story, I made a whoopsie. Congratulations. You caught me. Where it says four years, it should say three...let's just pretend it does, how's that? Ron doesn't talk to Hermione because...well...you'll find that out.

o----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------o

Chapter 2

The Questions

"Hermione," Allie whispered fiercely as soon as Ron left, "What is going on?! You walk in and it's like suddenly Ron and Harry turn to statues!"

Hermione let out a small sigh and stared at her hands.

"It's a very, very long and slightly painful story, Allie. You've heard bits of it already, and I really just don't have the heart to tell you the entire thing right now." Hermione said slowly and softly.

Allie didn't look happy, but she nodded.

"Alright." She conceded, and was about to say something more, but stopped when Ron and Harry walked back in.

"Okaay…coffee." Ron said, setting down a tray on the table. "Allie…black, two sugars, right? Hermione…black no sugar?" Ron said hesitantly, looking at his friend.

Hermione nodded with a smile.

"Good memory, Ron." She said.

Ron shrugged, and served the coffee before sitting down next to Allie on the small loveseat.

Harry sat in the chair across from Hermione, separated from her by the coffee table.

"So, Harry," Allie said, "What do you do?"

"I'm an Auror," he said carefully, "at the Ministry."

Hermione turned to look at him interestedly.

"Really? I was going to be an Auror," Allie said thoughtfully, "but in the end I settled for journalism. I write for the _Prophet_!"

Harry's eyebrows rose.

"I've been noticing that the standard of that paper had been rising. I'm sure that's a very exciting job."

Allie wrinkled her nose.

"Not really…I don't do interviews, see? I got sick of interviewing conceited people, and eventually made my way up to editor in chief!"

"That's fantastic." Harry said genuinely, "Congratulations."

Allie beamed.

Ron smiled and put his arm around her.

"I'm very proud of her," he said, "Hermione…what is it that you've been doing since school? Still doing elf-rights work?"

Hermione smiled.

"Ha-ha, Ron. No…I'm actually teaching at Hogwarts."

Ron looked surprised.

"What subject?" he asked.

"Transfiguration." Harry said softly, and Hermione looked at him in surprise.

"That's right." She said, "How did you know?"

Harry shrugged and looked away from her gaze.

"I just always thought that was what you would do."

A rather uncomfortable silence overcame the group, and Allie glanced at Ron.

Ron sighed and decided to ask a question that he would most likely have to answer for when the girls left.

"Are you…seeing anyone, Hermione?" He asked.

Harry's head shot up, and Hermione could feel his gaze, though she refused to look at him.

"Not…not recently, no…" She said, "It's rather hard to have a relationship what with….having to teach classes and make lessons and…things…"

Ron nodded understandingly.

"I used to feel the same way…I'm very glad that I don't anymore." He said, looking at Allie, who smiled back at him.

Hermione watched the two of them, and felt an odd emotion rise inside of her. Brushing it aside quickly, she smiled.

"When's the wedding, by the way?" Hermione asked.

"Ron and I want to get married this June, actually. The twenty-second."

Hermione gaped at her.

"The twenty-second?! But…that's only four months away!"

Allie and Ron nodded.

"Which brings us, both, I think, to our next questions…we want the two of you to help us, if you won't mind…you'll sort of be…our unofficial wedding planners!"

Harry choked a bit on his coffee.

"Your what?" He spluttered.

Ron laughed.

"Come on, mate! You can handle it! Look, I promise, none of the girly stuff. Allie and Hermione can handle all of that. We'll do all the…manly stuff."

Hermione snorted.

"What's manly about a wedding?" She asked.

"I dunno," Ron shrugged, "The bachelor party…and…yeah that's pretty much it…"

Harry was shaking his head.

"I dunno…it sounds…"

"Oh, come on, Harry, please?" Allie said, "Ron's going to need another bloke to get him through all this craziness if we've only got four months!"

Harry sighed, but Allie could see she was winning him over.

"Okay," he agreed. "I must be out of my mind, but okay."

Allie and Ron both beamed, and turned to Hermione.

"How about it, Hermione?" Allie asked cheerfully.

"Of course I will, Allie."

"Great!"

o----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------o

"Thanks so much for having us over, Ron, Harry." Allie said, hugging them both, and kissing her fiancé.

"I'm glad you got to meet Harry, Allie." Ron said, and Harry nodded.

Allie grinned.

"I would say the same about Hermione, but you two already knew her." She laughed, and Ron smiled vaguely, but Harry's face seemed a bit frozen.

Sensing that her words had had a negative effect on the boys, Allie quickly joined Hermione in the hallway and they left for their apartment.

Allie chose wisely not to ask Hermione about Ron or Harry on their way home, but the minute the door to their apartment had closed, she pounced.

"What in the name of Merlin was going on over there, Hermione?" She demanded, pulling Hermione down to sit on the sofa.

Hermione sighed, and took a deep breath.

"Okay. You remember when you first met me?"

Allie nodded.

"Okay, well…I went through a bit of a rough patch about a year or two after graduating. The thing is, there was this bloke that I'd known since I was eleven, and around my seventh year at Hogwarts, I was falling in love with him. He…he was amazing. He'd had such hardships, but never really complained about them, and he was brave…and compassionate…and sweet…and such a friend that I just loved him more every day. I felt horrible at first, because he was one of my very best friends, and so I kept quiet for almost two years until around a year after graduation. I tried to distance myself from him a bit, but that just made it worse, and I ended up living with him in a flat that we shared with another guy and…after a while it just felt right. He was affectionate towards me, and I started to think, you know, maybe he does…maybe, just maybe, he could love me. I decided I was going to tell him how I felt. I waited all day for him to get home from his work and he was a bit later than usual, and he came in, and I told him I had something to tell him. He was, as it turned out, horribly drunk, but had always been pretty good about keeping it in check, so he seemed to understand what I was saying. I told him that I loved him, that I'd always loved him…that he was the only guy I ever thought about really, truly dating and being with forever."

Allie looked nervous.

"What did he do?"

"He listened to me, and after a while, he had this huge grin on his face. When I quit talking, he just looked at me, and took my hand, and he kissed me. He told me he knew exactly how I felt and he had been feeling the same

way."

Hermione paused.

"So," she said quietly, "so I fell asleep in his arms and I was the happiest I had ever been in such a long, long time. But then, I woke up in the morning, and he was gone. He'd…completely packed up everything and disappeared, leaving just a note."

Allie looked even more on edge.

"What did the note say?"

Hermione sighed.

"It…it basically…he had written out that he was very sorry for confusing me last night, that he had been drunk and completely out of his mind, and he…he thought that I was his…his fiancée…and apparently, he didn't 'remember' any of what was said between us. I never knew he was engaged. He hadn't," Hermione was sobbing slightly now, "he hadn't s-said a word to either of us…and he t-told me that he was leaving to b-be with her…he was the best thing I had in my life, and I finally told him how much he meant to me…and…and he broke my heart."

"Oh, Hermione…" Allie whispered.

Hermione took a shuddering breath, wiping her face.

"I ruined everything that night and…and I wrote to him telling him I never wanted to see him again. It's been about three years since then, and I just saw him for the first time tonight."

Allie's face was horrorstruck.

"Do you mean…it was…?"

Hermione sighed.

"I fell in love with Harry."

o----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------o

After Allie and Hermione had left, Harry and Ron went into the living room. Ron could sense that Harry was upset, and decided to give him a little time to collect his thoughts.

"So," Ron said, "what do you think of Allie?"

Harry looked up.

"She's great, Ron. She's obviously very committed to you, and I'm glad you found her." Harry said truthfully.

Ron nodded thoughtfully.

"And what do you think of Hermione?"

Harry looked at Ron sharply.

"What do you mean?" He asked quietly.

"I mean, Harry, that it was obvious that you care for her very much!"

Harry sighed.

"And it was just as obvious how upset she is with me." He said in a subdued voice.

Ron winced.

"She did seem a little…more withdrawn towards you." Ron admitted.

Harry laughed bitterly.

"Of course she is. I told you just this morning how screwed up things between us were." Harry sighed, and ran a hand through his hair, "I wish I'd done things differently…and now it's too late."

Ron sighed.

"It doesn't have to be too late, Harry! You can do this! It might take some work, but you can show her how you feel!"

Harry shook his head.

"No," he said quietly, "I missed that opportunity. It's over, Ron. And I'd really appreciate it if we gave up on the idea."

Ron sighed.

"Okay, Harry."

That night, Harry kept thinking of how happy Hermione had seemed, and how beautiful she was. She'd been enthusiastic when talking about her job

as a professor, and Harry wished he could see her teach. He knew she'd be great at it.

He sighed and closed his eyes.

Maybe one day, he could.

o--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------o

The next morning, Allie was sitting up in the kitchen waiting on Hermione, who walked in rubbing her eyes groggily.

"Hey, Allie." She mumbled, pouring herself some coffee.

"Hi. Look, Hermione, I was thinking last night about what you said Harry did, and there are a few things that just don't add up to me."

Hermione sighed.

"Allie..." She said pleadingly, but Allie shook her head stubbornly.

"No, Hermione, just listen. His engagement...don't you think it odd that he's not married now? That he's living as a bachelor with Ron, who's never said anything about Harry being engaged? Or his engagment breaking up? Or--"

Hermione held up a hand.

"Allie, please. I spent too many years picking apart the reasons why he never cared, and I've finally moved on. I'm happy not knowing, not caring."

Allie sighed.

"You can honestly tell me you don't care?"

"Yes, I can."

"Say it then. Tell me right now, 'I don't care about Harry Potter or why he isn't married.'"

"You're acting like a child, Allie. I don't care about Harry's life."

Allie sighed.

"And I'm through discussing this, I have to go to work."

Allie blinked.

"You only just got here for the weekend! There aren't any classes today!"

Hermione sighed.

"It's Sunday, and I have to do lessons for tomorrow. I'll be back this weekend, okay?"

Allie waved.

"I don't see why you even bother keeping this half of this apartment."

Hermione laughed.

"To escape Hogwarts. Living there for the larger part of seven years wasn't the highlight."

Allie sighed.

"It's useless...especially now, since I'll be moving out."

Hermione sighed.

"I know. I'm going to give it up when you do, actually. Downsize a bit and move to a one bedroom apartment for the summers. I'm going to miss it, though."

Allie smiled sadly.

"I'm going to miss you, Hermione."

Hermione laughed.

"Oh, don't get all sad now! You've still got a little time with me before the wedding!"

"Speaking of which, the florist appointment is tomorrow night, since I know you'll be teaching."

Hermione sighed.

"Okay, I'll be there...and now, I really have to go."

"Bye!"  
Allie watched as her friend disappeared with a pop, then in turn, left the aparment.

o-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------o

"Ron! RON!"

Ron came running down the stairs of his apartment looking startled.

"Allie? How'd you get in?"

"Apparated. Your wards recognized me."

Ron looked confused for a bit, then smiled.

"Harry must have added you, then."

Allie grinned.

"Is he here?"

"Harry?"

"Yes."

"No."

"Good."

"Why's that good?" Ron asked.

"Because I want to talk to you about him and Hermione."

Ron looked wary.

"What about them?"

"You know what happened right?"

Ron shook his head.

"No...do you want to tell me?"

Allie hesitated.

"Not...not really. It's just Hermione's my best friend, and I had to coax it out of her last night, and I don't think it'll be right if I tell you."

"Then how am I going to be useful in the conversation about them?"

Allie looked thoughtful.

"How does Harry feel towards Hermione?"

"He's crazy about her, I think. He refuses to do anything, because he says he completely screwed everything up, and there's no use. Why? How does Hermione feel towards Harry?"

"I think she still loves him." Allie said quietly, "She just doesn't want to."

"And you're telling me this..."

"Because I think they deserve each other. Harry's a very nice guy, and he is crazy about Hermione. I could see the reactions between them last night. It was stilted and unnatural, but that's because they're denying how they really feel."

Ron was silent.

"Anyways, I have got this brilliant plan..."

o------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------o


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The Scheming Begins

Ron stared at his fiance, his mouth agape.

"You can't be serious." He said.

Allie grinned.

"Oh, but I am. It's perfect, Ron! It's only a wedding...and this way, it won't look at all suspicious when we keep leaving them to picking out all the details!"

Ron shook his head slowly, but Allie could see that he was coming around.

"I must be mad...but okay, I'm in. What do we do first?"

Allie wrinkled her brow in thought.

"I've got it. We've a floral meeting tomorrow night, right? What better a time than for us to have an inconvienent gathering with my family? Mum, Dad, all the cousins, aunts, uncles, the whole family. It'll be a fantastic ruse, and Mum has been saying that she wants the entire family to meet you before we get married. We'll just drop off a letter with the florist, and they'll end up picking everything out...it'll be perfect."

Ron smiled and kissed Allie's forehead.

"You are unbelievable...using your own wedding as a matchmaking scheme...but I love you for it."

Allie grinned.

"This is going to be fun."

o----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------o

"Where in the world can they possibly be?" Hermione asked impatiently.

She and Harry had been standing outside the florist's for about a half an hour, with no sign of either Ron or Allie.

"Maybe they're inside?" Harry suggested, and so they entered the shop.

At once, a tall man in a green apron came rushing up to the two.

"Mr. Potter and Miss Granger?" He asked.

"Yes." Hermione said.

"Ah, the bride and groom of the Weasley wedding sent this to me only moments ago with a note saying that it was to be given to you." He said, handing Harry a letter.

Harry took it, completely bewildered, and opened it, reading it aloud for Hermione.

" '_Dear Harry and Hermione,_

_I'm afraid that Allie and I won't be able to make it to the floral appointment after all. Her mum insisted on having us over TONIGHT to meet the family, and Allie just couldn't say no. However, she wants me to tell you that you two are to pick out the flowers. Don't fret, Hermione, Allie says your tastes are pretty similar and that she's sure whatever you love, she'll love as well. Thanks so much for being understanding about this. What with the wedding only a few months away, things have to get done quickly, and we really appreciate all of your help. Thanks. _

_Ron_

'"

Hermione looked scared.

"I can't pick out her wedding flowers!" she wailed, "I have no idea what she wants!"

Harry looked at her in surprise.

"Surely it can't be that hard." He said, "Just clump a bunch together and you'll be fine!"

Hermione glared at him.

"Of course it's hard! The flowers are nearly the most important thing in the decorations of the wedding!"

Harry stepped back slightly.

"Okay, okay, just...relax...look...Allie said that you're just to pick out whatever it is you like best, and she'll be fine with it, so just...just imagine that it's you...getting married, and that these," Harry gestured to all the flowers, "are for your wedding."

Hermione took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

"Okay," She said softly, "I'm...I'm getting married in June...and...and the gardenias."

Harry looked at her.

"Gardenias?"

She nodded, opening her eyes.

"I love gardenias. They're my favorite flower, and they'll be absolutely beautiful in a June wedding. But...since they're white...I want to make sure there will be some color so...I'm going to use yellow and pink roses as well."

Harry nodded his approval, and a few minutes later, the order had been placed, and they were walking out of the shop.

"So would you like to have a June wedding?" Harry asked, as they walked down the street.

Hermione jumped.

"What?" she said.

"A June wedding. Isn't that what you would want, since your favorite flowers are gardenias, and you said they would look nice in June?"

"Oh." Hermione sighed and relaxed a little, "Yes...they would look beautiful." She said softly.

Harry said nothing, because for some odd reason he was picturing Hermione in a wedding dress with those gardenias in her curls, walking towards him.

"What about you?" Hermione asked, "If you had a preference, what month would you want to be married in?"

Harry frowned.

"I don't think I have a preference, really, but a summer wedding does sound kind of nice."

Hermione nodded, and they walked in silence for a few more moments, getting closer to Hermione's apartment.

"I actually expected you to already be married." Hermione said softly.

Harry looked at her sideways.

"Really? I thought the same of you." Harry said.

Hermione looked surprised.

"Really? What would have given you that idea?"

Harry shrugged.

"I always thought guys would be lining up to date you...I figured it was only a matter of time before you found the one you were going to marry."

They were now at Hermione's doorstep.

"I thought I had." Hermione said softly, and went inside.

Harry stared at the door for a long time before slowly walking home.

o----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------o

"So how's Operation Wedding going?" Ron asked, as he rummaged in Allie's cabinets for some food.

It was now two months until the wedding.

"Fantastically, I think. Hermione got the flowers she's always wanted, and she basically made up the guest list all by herself...and the invitations as well. Next month is going to be the food tasting and the dresses, and I can't wait."

Ron looked at his scheming fiance.

"And how do you think you're going to trick Hermione into getting her OWN wedding dress?" He asked.

Allie scrunched up her nose.

"It's going to be tricky...but I'll think of something."

Ron laughed.

"Good luck with that. Wait...you aren't going to make Harry go wedding dress shopping with her are you?'

"Yes! It is crucial that they spend as much time together as possible! If they don't admit their feelings before the wedding, it will never work, and all this planning will have gone to waste!"

"Harry's going to be driven out of his bloody mind...and how are you planning of wriggling out of the food tasting?"

Allie shrugged.

"I'm thinking, actually, that it's time we got really drastic...something has to happen that changes everything, something that will make Hermione and Harry never even think twice about why they're picking everything out."

"Like what?" Ron asked warily.

Allie turned to him thoughtfully.

"You wouldn't happen to have any relatives that live far away, would you?" she asked, grinning.

"My Great Auntie Muriel..." Ron said slowly, "but why...?"

Allie grinned even wider.

"Just wait two weeks, Ron, and you'll see..."

o---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------o

A/N: Ha, it's summer and I'm going to be getting pretty busy this month, but hopefully I can keep this story up, because I'm starting to have LOADS of fun with it.


End file.
